mgpcpastor's blog

Here are my notes on Australian Leader of the Opposition Tony Abbott’s address and answers to questions at Make It Count 2010.
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s address and answers are posted here.

These are detailed notes and should not be considered a transcript.
I’m trying to get these up in a timely fashion.
If anything in these notes is wrong I’ll try to correct it and note my mistake.

Tony Abbott:
Our civilisation is inconceivable without the Christian faith. Expectation of equal treatment for all. Central teaching of Jesus, love God, love our neighbours. Not necessary to do the first in order to do the second.
Those who embrace the first of these principles popularised the practice of the second principle.
A post-christian society should acknowledge the debt it owes to Christianity.
Abbott acknowledged the popular designations of himself as ‘Captain Catholic’ ‘The Mad Monk’, a described himself as a Christian of sorts in politics. Not a Christian politician. Not asking for Christian support because he is a Christian, but because he is an effective politician.
His Christian faith does not make him better than the next person, but it does make him better than he would have been without his faith.
Jesus is not a member of any political party. His kingdom is not of this world. No evidence that Jesus took sides on the basis of politics. As best as we can understand these things he wanted people to love one another. Thought there were times when he showed tough love.
No position should be adopted or imposed on others that is based solely on faith.
The principle authors of the doctrine of church and state were Christians. They recognised the separate spheres. The walls can be thin, but they are there. If they come down, both church and state are damaged.
The church should be genial and inclusive, more given to forgiveness.
Much written about the influence of religion on the Howard government. Abbott had no recollection of issues decided on religious teachings. The decisions of the government were meant to boost prosperity and improve services. More regulation and more service provision, rather than dependence upon government. Increase in jobs and household wealth an indication that the government’s policies were not failures.
Abbott made the observation that christians in both the Howard government and the Rudd government would have identified with the parable of the good Samaritan, though the Rudd government would have been more likely to identify the good Samaritan as a government official.
Policies that Abbott mentioned specificallly:
Community/private based agencies were instrumental in delivery of services to the community.
Abolition of schools policy that led to establishment of more independent schools
Baby bonus gave support to families and raised birth rate.
Introduction of school chaplains. Not about the imposition of doctrine, but the presence of values.
Pregnancy Support Hotline, maintained by the present government.
Anti-discrimination policies were not applied to church bodies.
Any government Abbott leads will be liberal-conservative. Wasteful funding cut back e.g. building education revolution funding provided directly to schools; overcome budget deficit by lower spending and higher productivity instead of higher taxes; oppose taxes that penalise success and successful industries.
Howard a man of his times. Not a criticism. Values endure, their expression can change with the times.
In this light Abbott then mentioned:
The apology to indigenous Australians, which now needs to be put into action. Kids at schools, adults in paid work. Overturn Queensland Wild Rivers legislation.
Ratification of Kyoto: policy to reduce emissions by 2020. No policy for futile gestures.
Paid parental leave: six months at full wage with levy on business. Desire: larger families with more children. Need for more than one income for families to survive. Help for full time and part time work-force. This does not detract against those mothers not in the paid work-force. Need to acknowledge the change in family situations.
Families, policies that work, people are basically good, determined to do best to build better country and better world.

The Questions and Answers followed. It appeared that the questions had been formulated amongst the church leaders and were shared around. The same topics were directed toward Rudd during his time for questions, but different church leaders asked them. This suggests to me that the totality of the questions can be attributed to all of the churches, not necessarily any to any particular church.

Questions.
Pastor Timothy Jack, Apostolic Church National President: Policies for better housing, education, housing, welfare, social inclusion for indigenous Australians.
Abbott: Need for Australians to have social and relational contact with indigenous peoples. Lack of serious time in communities and with people. The more personal contact with indigenous peoples the more positive the policies would be. Acknowledgment of missionaries who spent their lives among people, whatever their other faults.
Noel Pearson was mentioned as being a leader. Reciprocal duties. Government can only provide the tools, the peoples have to use those tools.

David McDonald, National Chairman, Christian Outreach Center: parliamentary prayer and reliance upon Almighty God.
Abbott: No plans to change prayer, and personal support for it. Opposition to any suggestion for prayer to be removed.

Colonel Raymond Finger: Chief Secretary Salvation Army, Southern Zone: manage balance between refugees and asylum seekers.
Abbott: Obligation to genuine refugees and no suggestion otherwise. Sanctuary and residency are not the same things. No desire to see people taking terrible risks and the people smuggling market prosper. Reintroduction of temporary visas.

Reverend Brian Winslade, National Director Baptist Union of Australia: Marriage; support for man and woman marriage and no support for services that emulate traditional marriage.
Abbott: ongoing support. No discrimination and removal of discriminatory provisions. Recognition of commitments. No changes to allow marriage mimicked.

School Chaplain question not asked because it was spoken to in Abbott’s speech.

Wayne Alcorn, President, Australian Christian Churches: implementation of recommendations to prevent premature sexualisation of children.
Abbott: we should be aware of the problem and we should strive not to allow childhood to be stolen. Media standards continue to decline, though freedom of expression should be guarded. Rating standards are not functional. A further study should be tasked with the application of community standards to media, including new media.

Adrian Wiles, Lutheran Church Assistant Director Policy Development. Climate change and policies and poorest.
Abbott: Climate change real, not clear how much driven by human activity and emissions and what effect emission reductions will achieve. Support for emission reduction scheme as an interim measure. While modelling suggests dire outcomes, the evidence does not agree with the modelling. Prudent responsible precautions without turning economy upside down.

Jim Wallace: in the case of Senate power, trade off of policies.
Abbott: Good government under-promises and over-delivers. No intention to abandon promises, but can’t be categorical.